1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to methods and apparatus for playing games using computers and computer networks. More particularly, the invention is related to multi-player games in which players may be remotely located from each other, but in which players' computers are interconnected through a computer network.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Multi-player games in which the players are remotely located relative to each other considerably antedates computers and computer gaming technology. For example, a form of chess game known as correspondence chess has been and continues to be quite popular. In correspondence chess, each player maintains their own chessboard containing the current status of the game. A player takes a turn by moving a piece on their chessboard, writing a letter to their opponent in which their move is set forth and mailing the letter containing the move to the opponent using the local postal authority. When the opponent receives the correspondence containing the new move, the opponent updates their own chessboard and repeats the process. Correspondence chess tends to be a leisurely and thoughtful game, owing in part to the long delays introduced by the local postal authority.
Correspondence gaming, generally, follows the above pattern of play.
In a variant on conventional correspondence chess, the players may utilize computer programs which maintain the current status of the chessboard, and which can be used by the players to perform a variety of analyses on their position. However, in this variant, the individual players must still correctly enter their opponent's and their moves into their computer program, in order to correctly maintain the status of the game. Computers can be used in similar fashion in connection with other correspondence games, as well.
In correspondence games, it is always possible for one player's game board to become out of sync with their opponent's game board, for example due to errors entering moves. For this reason, in some correspondence games, the move data is transmitted in the form of a complete diagram or listing of the current position or game board contents. Checking the complete position with each move is burdensome and time consuming, and so not always done. Producing the complete list of the current game board position is also highly subject to human error unless the game board is maintained by a computer program, as mentioned above.
In yet another variation on the theme of correspondence gaming, correspondence games can be played using electronic mail (E-mail), rather than postal mail. In principle, the game is played in the same manner as described above in connection with postal correspondence gaming. The principle advantage of correspondence gaming by E-mail is that the long delay introduced by the delivery of postal mail is generally not present in E-mail systems. E-mail gaming can be played using local area E-mail systems or the international Internet mail system.
The process of playing a game by E-mail using a computer-based game program is illustrated in FIG. 1.
A first player, referred to hereinafter as the game initiator opens a game program 101 and chooses to play a new game 103. The game initiator then selects which game to play 105, if presented with a choice of games, along with an opponent who the game initiator wishes to play against 107. The opponent selected in step 107 is referred to hereinafter as the game receiver. The game initiator then makes a move 109, saves the move data 111 in a computer file on the game initiator's computer and closes the game program 113.
Next the game initiator must transmit the move to the game receiver. To do so, the game initiator opens an E-mail program 115 and initiates a new message 117. The game initiator addresses the new message to the game receiver 119. Next, the game initiator browses 121 the files on the game initiator's computer for the file containing the move data saved in step 111. When the saved file containing the move data is found, it is attached 123 to the new E-mail message created in step 119. Finally, the game initiator sends the E-mail 125 to the game receiver.
The game receiver may, at some time after the game initiator has sent the E-mail, log on 127 to the game receiver's computer. The game receiver then opens an E-mail program 129 and checks for new E-mail 131. If E-mail containing a game move is found, then the game receiver decides whether to play the game now or later 133. If later, then the game receiver detaches and saves the move data in a computer file in a suitable directory for later use 134. If now, then the game receiver also saves the move data into a computer file in a directory 135, but for current use. Next the game receiver opens a copy of the game program 137 and loads the file containing the saved move data into the current game 139. Next, the game receiver makes a move 141 and performs a sequence of steps 143-157 identical to steps 111-125 previously performed by the game initiator. This results in an E-mail message being sent to the game initiator 157 at which point the game initiator performs steps 127-157 previously performed by the game receiver. This process repeats itself until the game is completed.
In another form of multi-player computer gaming, a server communicates with a plurality of client programs running on the individual player's machines. Examples of such systems are the Internet-based gaming systems of Yahoo!.RTM. and the Microsoft.RTM. Hearts game available under the Microsoft Windows.TM. operating system. A disadvantage of such server-based games is that all players must be available to play at the same time. In contrast, correspondence games permit each player to analyze their position and make moves at any time which they find convenient to do so.
Other problems with conventional gaming systems are related to the manual data transfer needed to obtain move data or load move data into the game software. The procedures to do this are frequently tedious and time consuming, as well as being significantly error prone. Server-based games often require special client software, in order to connect to the server, as well as requiring a network connection to the server for the duration of game play.